It’s no fun at Manila Bay

THIS summer, it is so inviting for families with modest means to visit scenic places either here in Metro Manila or in the provinces in order to relax and spend some bonding moments with each other.

If you do, you should however think twice before bringing your kids or oldies to Manila Bay to enjoy the beautiful sunset, which is said to be one of the best in the world.

Better yet, skip all together the dinner cruises offered at the back of Folk Arts Theater in CCP Complex, Roxas Blvd., Pasay City if you do not want to spoil your hope of fun and romance.

Last Thursday, after a hectic schedule at work, we wanted to end the day with a pleasant evening dinner cruise at the Manila Bay.

We thought that Sun Cruises, which operates daily tour to Corregidor Island for years, seems a good choice based on the online reviews it has generated.

But to my disappointment, it was definitely no fun at all dealing with unhelpful people at the ticketing booth of the Sun Cruises who should be required to attend customer care relations seminars until they learn how to treat its foreign and local guests with some respect.

It is no wonder that many people continue to poke fun at the Department of Tourism’s “It’s more fun in the Philippines” slogan as they suffer from rude treatment from the hands of the very people who were supposed to be at the forefront of promoting it.

The task of tourism operators should make our summer experience as pleasant as much as possible and not make it any difficult to local and foreign tourists alike.

It is no wonder why our local tourism industry continues to lag behind in Asia.

Let’s quit kidding ourselves!

No foreign and local tourists will ever come to Manila Bay which has become so notorious for pickpockets and thieves roaming around day in and day out, apart from the foul smell from its densely polluted waters.

Manila Bay’s dinner cruises are no match to those dinner cruises offered in Thailand and Singapore.

All promises of “magnificent experience and enjoyable dinner” are also belied by the fact that people operating those cruises rate poorly in good customer care relations.

Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez should look at these cruise operations and remind those people manning it to treat local tourists courteously in the same way that they treat foreigners.

Otherwise, it is better to close those cruises for good. It is indeed no fun at the Manila Bay no matter what the slogan is.